Just have a taboo like chat here for you. My girlfriend's laptop runs Windows 7 and ... take a guess ... got super slow over time. Reason for me being here is because I run Linux Mint since yesterday. I would have to find another forum for Windows to adres this issue, so I thought maybe some of you ex-Windows users could help me out. I promise I will never bring Windows up ever again after!

My plan is to replace her Windows 7 with Windows XP to speed things up a little. Obviously my initial thought was to install a GNU+Linux distro but since I am still getting used to it, I feel XP is a better option until I feel more comfortable troubleshooting myself. I would like to keep the 'Windows 7 Recovery partition' in tact since we don't have a bootable CD/DVD.

1. The 'Recovery' partition is 12 GB. The 'System Reserve' partition is 102 MB. The 'Recovery' partition is the one that needs to stay but was wondering whether I could safely remove the 'System Reserve' partition.

2. Let's say that XP was installed and now it's, for whatever reason, time to get back to Windows 7. Is there a way to boot from the Recovery partition and start the installation for Win 7?

Thanks in advance. Much appreciated ... in the meanwhile I'm going to spend some time exploring this wonderful place named Mint 13!

...My plan is to replace her Windows 7 with Windows XP to speed things up a little...

AmsterDan

If you want your girlfried to still love you? Don't do it! XP _will_not_ speed up your girlfriend's machine.

If you want that Win7 machine to speed up. Maybe run defrag, find online diagnostice utils to help eliminate some of the crapware that comes with windows, run AVG or similar antivirus software, to help figure out the speed issues in Win 7.

In addition, you might consider partitioning the hard drive on your girlfriend's machine

Let your inner devil out back up her important data, to hell with all her malware and format her hard drive; but don't reinstall windows. No we don't want to do that, install a linux OS (mwah hahh hahh) best of all will she notice? I doubt it. Several women have used my linux pc to do there face book or whatever, and didn't even notice it wasn't windows. They thought it was some sort of 'theme thingy' I quote.

Parents of young organic lifeforms are warned that towels can be harmful if swallowed in large quantities.

...My plan is to replace her Windows 7 with Windows XP to speed things up a little...

AmsterDan

If you want your girlfried to still love you? Don't do it! XP _will_not_ speed up your girlfriend's machine.

Yes. I don't see why you would come back to XP. It was good but Seven is better. Personnally, I have Win7 on my laptop and it runs quite good, no "got super slow over time".

To answer to your first question, I should say you should keep the 2 partitions: 'Recovery' and 'System Reserve'. I have the same two on my laptop, 17.03 Gb and 100 Mb for me. I don't know precisely for the 'System Reserved" but if one day you must use the "Recovery" partition I am not sure the "System Reserved" partition is not useful, even maybe necessary. In doubt, you should keep it. 102 Mb is not the end of the world. I don't think it takes a so huge place on your hard disk...

About your other question, what is her laptop? Mine, a Sony Vaio, has a button to start the recovery, even if the laptop no longer boots Windows, and so can use the Recovery Partition. Not hers?

K.I.S.S. ===> "Keep It Simple, Stupid""Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo da Vinci)"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." (Albert Einstein)

Alright guys, I agree ... the hell with this sheit. We're going to do some Mint action around here.

Now, I will save the Windows recovery/reserve partitions and give Mint the rest of the HD. When there is the need for Windows 7 when my girlfriend wants to use that ... how would I boot into the Windows recovery partition?

Did you think about making bootable dvds from the recovery partition. Look at the start menu, there must be a vendor's tool to do that from windows. After all, this win is paid, why would you loose it?